Haskell County Oklahoma Map — Stigler Roads, Reservoir Shores, and Sans Bois Highlands

Haskell County lies in southeastern Oklahoma, where Stigler anchors a network of small towns and state highways between two major reservoir systems and the rugged Sans Bois Mountains. Lake Eufaula reaches into the county from the west, Robert S. Kerr Reservoir touches the northeast, and the southern half rises sharply into wooded ridges and creek valleys. The maps on this page make it possible to compare roads, settlements, water, and elevation without mixing those details together. High-resolution JPG originals are also available in a downloadable ZIP for printing or closer inspection.

The county’s shape makes more sense when the large physical features are identified first. The Oklahoma Historical Society describes Lake Eufaula entering from the west, Robert S. Kerr Reservoir from the east, and the South Canadian River forming much of the northern boundary before reaching the Arkansas River system. South of those lowlands, the Sans Bois Mountains occupy a large part of the county. That contrast between reservoir edges, river country, and mountain ridges is one of the clearest ways to understand Haskell County.

Stigler and State Highway 9 give the road map a clear starting point

Stigler is the easiest place to begin on the general county map. It is the county seat and sits at the intersection of State Highway 9 and State Highway 82. Highway 9 runs across the northern half of the county, linking Whitefield, Stigler, and Keota in a sequence that is easy to follow. Once that route is fixed in mind, the rest of the county can be placed relative to it.

State Highway 82 leaves Stigler and heads toward Lequire, where the southern road network becomes more important. State Highway 31 runs through the southern part of the county and connects Kinta, Lequire, and McCurtain. Highway 2 reaches Kinta from the west and continues south, while Highway 26 helps connect the Keota area with McCurtain. The Oklahoma Historical Society also identifies Highways 9 and 31, together with several north-south state routes, as the county’s main transportation arteries.

The boundary is much less regular in the north and east than along the southern edge. Tamaha sits inside the narrow northern extension, close to the large river and reservoir system. Enterprise is shown toward the west, while Kinta and Lequire sit near the straighter southern boundary. McCurtain provides a useful southeastern reference. Surrounding counties include McIntosh, Muskogee, Sequoyah, Le Flore, Latimer, and Pittsburg, placing Haskell County in a transitional part of eastern Oklahoma between large reservoirs and the Ouachita-related uplands.

Six communities spread from Tamaha in the north to Kinta and McCurtain in the south

The city map highlights Stigler, Whitefield, McCurtain, Keota, Kinta, and Tamaha as the main labeled communities. Stigler sits near the center of the county, with Whitefield close by along Highway 9. Following the same highway toward the east leads to Keota, while McCurtain appears farther south near Highway 31. Kinta occupies the southwest, and Tamaha stands apart in the narrow northern section close to the river-and-reservoir country.

Those locations also correspond to different terrain settings. Stigler and Whitefield occupy relatively low central ground. Kinta and McCurtain lie closer to the southern uplands, where ridges become more pronounced and creek valleys cut deeper into the landscape. Tamaha is near the South Canadian River and Robert S. Kerr Reservoir, while Keota is also closer to the northeastern water system. The city map becomes more informative when the same six places are checked again on the water and elevation maps.

The rank and population-style labels on the map are best treated as reference information from the supplied map rather than as a substitute for current Census Bureau estimates. For geographic use, the important point is the distribution itself. Stigler acts as the central reference, but the other communities are spread widely enough that they provide useful checkpoints for the west, north, east, and southern mountain country.

Lake Eufaula and Kerr Reservoir shape opposite sides of northern Haskell County

Northern Haskell County is strongly influenced by water. Lake Eufaula reaches into the western side, while the Canadian River curves through the northern part of the county. Farther east, Robert S. Kerr Reservoir spreads across a broad area near the county line. The two large reservoirs sit on opposite sides of the northern half, giving this part of Haskell County a very different appearance from the mountain country to the south.

Inside the county, the Sans Bois drainage is one of the most useful systems to follow. Sans Bois Creek crosses the southern interior, and Little Sans Bois Creek gathers tributaries in the northeast before reaching the Kerr Reservoir area. Taloka Creek cuts through the center, while Emechaya Creek and Beaver Creek are visible farther west. Turkey Creek follows lower ground in the southeast. Smaller water bodies around Stigler include Fenton Lake, Stigler Lake, and Lake John Wells, with Club Lake and Lone Star Steel Lake shown farther south and east.

The Oklahoma Historical Society notes that the South Canadian River forms much of the northern boundary before joining the Arkansas River at the Robert S. Kerr Reservoir area. The reservoir is part of the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System, which also influenced transportation and industry around Keota. The water map therefore explains more than drainage: it helps show why the northern boundary bends, why Tamaha occupies an unusual position, and why Keota developed near a major navigable water system.

This is a geographic reference map rather than a flood, navigation, or water-safety product. It does not show flood probability, water depth, streamflow, water quality, legal access, or safe boating conditions. Decisions about property, construction, flood preparedness, or recreation near Lake Eufaula, Kerr Reservoir, or local streams should use current information from the appropriate federal, state, and local agencies.

An elevation range of about 140–515 meters brings the Sans Bois Mountains into focus

The elevation map shows an actual range of roughly 140 to 515 meters, with a mean near 192 meters. The strongest high-elevation colors appear along the southern edge, where long ridges and isolated peaks form part of the Sans Bois Mountains. Additional high ground is visible in the southwest, and a separate ridge system rises in the northwest. Much of the central and northeastern county remains green, showing substantially lower terrain than the mountain belt.

The southern highlands match the broad description of the Sans Bois Mountains given by the Oklahoma Historical Society. Around Kinta, Lequire, and McCurtain, ridges and valleys repeat across a relatively short distance. Sans Bois Creek and Turkey Creek occupy lower corridors through that rougher terrain. Stigler, by comparison, sits in a lower central area, and the land continues toward the broad lowlands around the major reservoirs in the north.

The northwest is not flat either. A long ridge rises south of the Canadian River, with small tributaries descending toward lower ground on both sides. Lake Eufaula on the west and Kerr Reservoir on the east occupy some of the lowest portions of the map, creating a sharp visual contrast with the southern mountains. Matching blue channels on the water map with green valleys on the elevation map makes the relationship between drainage and relief easy to see.

This elevation surface is intended for county-scale comparison. It should not be used as survey-grade elevation for a parcel, building site, road grade, drainage calculation, or legal boundary. Those tasks require more precise source data and professional measurements when appropriate.

County-seat competition, railroads, and coal shaped the settlement map

Haskell County was created at Oklahoma statehood in 1907 and was named for Charles N. Haskell, the state’s first governor. In that same year, Stigler won a competition with Keota and Whitefield to become the county seat. Before statehood, the present county lay within the Choctaw Nation’s Sans Bois County, and nineteenth-century travel routes crossed the area between river landings, interior settlements, and the broader Indian Territory transportation network.

Railroads helped several towns grow before highways became dominant. The Fort Smith and Western Railway reached the McCurtain area and later served Kinta and Lequire, while the Midland Valley Railroad passed through the northern part of the county and Stigler. Stigler’s own growth accelerated after the railroad arrived in 1904, bringing businesses and services to the future county seat. The current road map no longer emphasizes those rail connections, but the town pattern still reflects that earlier transportation history.

Coal was especially important in southern Haskell County. McCurtain and nearby communities were closely tied to mining, and the 1912 Number Two mine explosion became one of the county’s defining historical events. Underground mining declined later, but strip mining continued in the twentieth century. This history gives the southern settlement pattern additional context: towns such as McCurtain, Kinta, and Lequire developed not only around roads but also around the resources and industries of the mountain region.

Travel south from Stigler and the terrain changes quickly

Stigler is useful for comparing all four map layers because it combines a central road location with relatively low terrain. Highway 9 and Highway 82 meet there, several small lakes are nearby, and the surrounding elevation is much lower than the southern mountain belt. Following Highway 82 toward Lequire gradually brings the traveler into rougher country before meeting Highway 31.

McCurtain offers a different setting. It lies along Highway 31 in the southeastern part of the county, close to the Sans Bois Mountains and a network of small streams. Kinta, farther west on the same general southern corridor, also sits near broken upland terrain and has a connection southward on Highway 2. Comparing these places with Stigler shows how quickly the county changes from lower central ground to ridges and valleys.

Heading from Stigler toward Keota produces another contrast. The terrain remains lower, but the influence of Robert S. Kerr Reservoir becomes stronger toward the northeast. Tamaha lies even farther north near the large river-and-reservoir system. Looking at those northern places after the southern mountain communities makes Haskell County’s combination of uplands and major water bodies especially clear.

Choose the Haskell County map that fits the task

For towns, roads, and the county outline, the general map is the most direct starting point. Find Stigler and Highway 9, then use Highway 82 and Highway 31 to connect the northern and southern communities. The city map is cleaner when the goal is simply to compare the six highlighted settlements and see how widely they are distributed across the county.

For rivers, reservoirs, and smaller creeks, use the water map. Lake Eufaula, the Canadian River, and Robert S. Kerr Reservoir establish the northern framework, while Sans Bois Creek and Little Sans Bois Creek help organize the interior. The elevation map is the best companion when the question is why the southern county looks more rugged: the 140–515 meter range clearly separates the Sans Bois Mountains from the lower central and northern areas.

The web previews work well for quick reference, while the downloadable ZIP contains high-resolution JPG versions of the county-and-road, city, water, and elevation maps. Those files are useful for printing, classroom reference, local-history displays, and presentations. They are general geographic resources and should not replace parcel records, live navigation, flood-hazard products, engineering plans, or professional surveys.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Maps

• Beaver County Oklahoma Map
• Blaine County Oklahoma Map
• Bryan County Oklahoma Map

Sources and References

• Oklahoma Historical Society – Haskell County
• Oklahoma Historical Society – Stigler
• U.S. Census Bureau – TIGER/Line Shapefiles
• USGS – National Hydrography
• USGS – 3D Elevation Program